Hangable tube dispenser



June 22, 1965 C.-F. MILES 3,190,500

HANGABLE TUBE DISPENSER Filed Sept. 7, 1962 t a @fl I4 H62 FIGIINVENTOR.

CHARLES Fv MILES A TTORNE Y United States Patent M 3,190,509 HANGABLETUBE DISPENSER tlharies F. Miles, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to MilesLaboratories, Inc, Elkhart, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Filed Eept. 7,1962, Ser. No. 222,077 5 Claims. ((31. 222-405) This invention relatesto a novel hangable collapsible dispensing tube for dispensingtoothpastes, shaving creams, hair preparations and the like. Inparticular, the invention is concerned with a new and novel supportingdevice affixed to the tube for supporting the same in an uprightposition and from which supported position the contents may be dispensedwithout the necessity of removing the tube from the storage position.

The prior art is replete with various hangable tube devices whichdevices comprise, for example, supporting elements in the form ofbrackets, eyes, rings, tethers and the like; however, these devices havemet with only limited success for in the most part they compriseelements which must be attached to the tube either at its crimped end oradjacent the dispensing nozzle or in some combination with the closurecap. In these known devices, quite often the supportnig member itselfruptures the tube while it is being applied or while in use. Inaddition, substantially all of the known devices require a particularmember affixed to a wall for hanging.

Tubes of the type described normally, although not eX- clusively,include a substantially cylindrical tubular body portion, one end ofwhich is sealed by the conventional method of folding and crimping, and.a relatively rigid shoulder portion of conical configurationterminating in a nozzle portion from which the contents of the tube maybe dispensed. Since preparations normally packaged in tubes of this typeordinarily find their principal environment in the bathroom of the home,provisions are made in the form of medicine chests or cabinets withinwhich such devices and other supplies are normally stored. In mostinstances shelf space in such cabinets is quite limited, and the normalsupply of toilet articles leaves little, if any, unused shelf space. Inthe usual situation, articles frequently must be removed from thecabinet prior to gaining access .to the desired one. It is thereforedesirable that the materials and supplies thus stored be disposed insuch a manner as to afford a maximum of facility of access for use,while at the same time occupying a minimum of shelf space.

Collapsible tubes containing, for example, toothpaste and shaving cream,the most often used materials, are usually found disposed on their sideson a shelf amid other supplies and articles. However, due to the factthat such tubes are usually formed of soft, flexible, easily rupturedmaterial, it is desirable but most often, substantially impossible, tostore the same out of contact with the other articles normally kept in amedicine chest.

In accordance with this invention an improved hangable tube dispenser isprovided which comprises a simple and economically made hanging meansmounted on the body of the collapsible tube, which hanging means iscapable of being engaged with any of the numerous slots, projections andthe like usually found in cabinets located in the home, and particularlymedicine cabinets, such engagement rendering the tube easily accessibleand minimizing the shelf area required for storage of the tube.

It is, therefore, a general object of this invention to provide animproved hangable collapsible tube dispenser which is simple inconstruction, practical in its application, and economical to fabricate.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in combinationwith a collapsible tube dispenser, a hanging element which may be easilyattached to the tube or formed integrally therewith in such a manner asto avoid 3,13%,5W Patented June 22, 1965 interference with thedispensing operation, said element being capable of supporting the tubein depending relation With respect thereto.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an improvedcollapsible dispensing tube capable of being stored out of contact withshelves as well as with the other articles stored within a storagecabinet, thereby making possible maximum use of the storage space bystoring the tube in a space which would not normally be occupied.

These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral views and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the improved hangable tube ofthis invention, pointing out one manner of engaging the hanging meanswith the shelf supporting structure of a conventional bathroom medicinecabinet;

FIGURE 2 is another perspective view of the hangable tube of thisinvention, pointing out another convenient mode of hanging the same inthe used razor blade opening ordinarily found in a conventional medicinecabinet;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded perspective view of oneform of the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of another form ofthe invention.

The present invention contemplates the incorporation of a hanging meansformed integrally with or as an accessory to the conventionalcollapsible wall type tube dispenser. In the embodiments illustrated inthe drawing forming a part of this application, the support elementtakes the form of a substantially hook-shaped element. However, this isby way of example only and it is to be understood that many variationsmay be employed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the form of theinvention selected for illustration therein comprises a conventionalcollapsible wall dispensing tube 10 which includes a tubular bodyportion 12 having one end closed, as at 14, by folding and sealinglycrimping. The other end of the tube 10 is closed by .a relatively rigidconical end closure 16 which terminates in a capped dispensing nozzle18.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing,hanging means 20 is provided in the form of a hook-shaped element havinga substantially rectangular base portion 22, a bight portion 24 and areentrant lip portion 26. The base 22 may be flat or slightly curved tocompatibly embrace the side Wall of the tube whereon a quantity ofsuitable adhesive 28 may be disposed adjacent the shoulder 16. Theadhesive 28 is disposed over a suitable area to receive and secure thehanging means 20 to the body portion of the tube 12. It will be observedthat in the illustrated embodiment the bight portion 24 is spacedlongitudinally beyond the juncture of the conical end closure 16 withthe body portion 12. In the preferred embodiment the element 20 does notextend as far as the plane normal to the axis of the nozzle 18 and ofthe body portion 24 and intersecting the mouth of said nozzle, however,in certain applications extension beyond said plane may be desirable. Itis further contemplated that an opening 30 may be provided in the basemember 22 of the hook 20 to facilitate the application of the adhesiveand to secure an improved bond between the hook and the tube wall. It isto be understood, of course, that if so deired, the base of the hookmember 22 may be fabricated without openings.

Many modifications of the attaching means in FIGURE 3 could be employed,and by Way of example, such a modification could include a quantity ofpressure sentitive adhesive or an extent of double-faced pressuresentitive adhesive tape overlying and attached to the side of the tube 3and covered with the usual readily removable protective sheet having lowadhesion characteristics. The tube could thus be merchandised withoutthe supporting element 20 in operative position, the purchaser unitingthe tube and element 20 to form a single unitary structure prior to useand after removing the protective sheet aforementioned.

Another form of the invention is shown in FIGURE 4 wherein the hookelement 20 is integrally formed with the wall 12 of the collapsible tube10, and in this embodiment it will be seen that the necessity to providea separate hook and securing means is obviated. If desired, of course,the element 20 may .be made integral with the wall 12 by a fusedconnection of any suitable type.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, the dispensing tube withthe hook-member there attached is adapted to be disposed with saidhook-member engaged on any suitable support, such as Within the usedrazor blade slot 32 formed in the rear wall 34 of a medicine chest asshown in FIGURE 2, or, within one of the shelf supporting protuberances36 on the side wall 38 of a medicine chest as shown in FIGURE 1. As willbe readily recognized, the improved hangable tube dispenser may bestored in normally unused areas of the medicine cabinet without dangerof contact with other articles or supplies therein, such storage havingthe additional advantage of affording ready accessibility.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed herein, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the details of construction and arrangement of partsdisclosed, except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In combination, a collapsible dispensing tube having a tubular bodyportion closed at one end and having at its other end a substantiallyconical end closure portion terminating in a dispensing nozzle, a capthreaded on said nozzle, and a hook spaced from said nozzle and saidcap, said hook .being directly afiixed to said tubular body portion ofsaid dispensing tube at the juncture of said body portion and saidconical end closure portion.

2. In combination, a collapsible dispensing tube having a tubular bodyportion closed at one end and having at its other end a substantiallyconical end closure portion terminating in a dispensing nozzle, a capthreaded on said nozzle, and a hook spaced from said nozzle and saidcap, said hook including a fiat base portion overlying and afiixed to anexternal surface of said tubular body portion adjacent the juncture ofsaid body portion and said conical end closure portion, a vbight portionextending away from said base portion, and a reentrant lip portionextending generally parallel to said base and having a length less thanthat of said base.

3. The combintion of claim 2 wherein said base portion extendslongitudinally beyond the juncture of said conical end closure portionand said tubular body to position said bight portion at a point short ofa plane normal to the axis of said nozzle and located at the mouththereof.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein the flat base portion of said hookmember is adhesively Secured to said tubular body portion adjacent tosaid conical end closure.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein the fiat base portion of said hookmember is integral with and is fused directly to said body portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,451,119 4/23Schroeder et al. 1,452,761 4/23 Roberts 248-108 1,828,154 10/31Siqueland. 2,015,291 9/35 Schulte 222105 2,042,672 6/36 MacLean. 2,077,?16 4/37 Geib 211-87 2,142,194 1/39 Karfiol. 2,763,377 9/56 Martin 211--X 3,045,961 7/62 Cygan. 3,081,002 3/63 Tauschinski et al.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION, A COLLAPSIBLE DISPENSING TUBE HAVING A TUBULAR BODYPORTION CLOSED AT ONE END AND HAVING AT ITS OTHER END A SUBSTANTIALLYCONICAL END CLOSURE PORTION TEMINATING IN A DISPENSING NOZZLE, A CAPTHREADED ON SAID NOZZLE, AND A HOOK SPACED FROM SAID NOZZLE AND SAIDCAP, SAID HOOK BEING DIRECTLY AFFIXED TO SAID TUBULAR BODY PORTION OFSAID DISPENSING TUBE AT THE JUNCTURE OF SAID BODY PORTION AND SAIDCONICAL END CLOSURE PORTION.